textproduct: Amarillo

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1040 AM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

- Very warm temperatures, potential near record highs possible later in the week into the first half of the weekend.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Tuesday night) Issued at 1040 AM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

A cold start to the day where a few locations started off in the single digits this morning in the northern Panhandles. The backside of the departing system that gave our region our very windy and dusty conditions on Sunday will still keep the chilly temperatures in the Panhandles for today. High temperatures this afternoon will top out in the lower to mid 50s, which is around 10 degrees or so below average for mid March. Southwest surface winds will return for tomorrow across the region with warming temperatures to accompany the wind shift. High temperatures tomorrow will range from the mid 70s to near 80 degrees for portions of the southern Texas Panhandle. With min RH values in the lower teens accompanying the breezy SW winds, could see some elevated fire weather conditions for portions of the Panhandles, so we will watch those trends closely, especially with any residual wildfires in the region.

LONG TERM

(Wednesday through next Sunday) Issued at 1040 AM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

Dry conditions will continue throughout the long term forecast period. Latest global model and numerical guidance are in some loose accord that a building 594 decameter high pressure system in the southwest CONUS will slowly expand into the southern High Plains by the coming weekend. With this expansion of the mid level high pressure system, temperatures should rise to well above average throughout the remainder of the long term forecast period. Coupled with the warm temperatures, large scale subsidence under the high pressure will result in much lighter winds compared to the past few days. Going towards the end of the forecast period, a cold front may enter the northern Panhandles, but still several days out and we will continue to monitor trends accordingly.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1207 PM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

VFR conditions are expected at all TAF sites throughout the 18Z TAF period. Winds will be out of the west-southwest at 5-15 kts with few to sct high clouds at times.

AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...None. OK...None.